Worcester City Councilor-at-Large O'Brien back working for Congressman McGovern

Wednesday

Nov 13, 2013 at 9:04 PM

By Nick Kotsopoulos, TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF

WORCESTER — City Councilor-at-Large Joseph C. O'Brien, who will be stepping down from the council at the end of the year when the current term ends, is back working for U.S. Rep. James P. McGovern, D-Worcester.

Before being elected to the City Council and as mayor in 2009, Mr. O'Brien served as Mr. McGovern's district director for two years. He initially took a leave of absence from the job after announcing his candidacy for City Council in 2009. He resigned from the post after winning in the election.

Mr. O'Brien did not seek re-election to a third term on the council. He said he began working for Mr. McGovern again after last Tuesday's municipal election.

He said his new duties with Mr. McGovern will be split: working part-time on the public side as a case worker for the congressman and on special projects for him; and part-time on the political side, serving as his political director.

Now that he is back working for Mr. McGovern, Mr. O'Brien said, he has been advised by counsel of the House of Representatives that he can no longer vote as a member of the City Council on items coming before it related to federal grants or federal programs.

As a result, Mr. O'Brien had to ask to be recused from voting Tuesday night on three federal grants that were before the council.

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